tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275657281509261156.post2228046800571050410..comments2024-03-18T21:50:10.131-07:00Comments on Faculty of Language: Two interviews with Chomsky on linguistics (and politics)Norberthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15701059232144474269noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275657281509261156.post-60265907390164393012016-04-18T17:12:41.172-07:002016-04-18T17:12:41.172-07:00Well yes but, Geology (and taxonomic biology) are ...Well yes but, Geology (and taxonomic biology) are nevertheless very heavily based on observation, but requiring underlying ideas, and also, sometimes, calling for experiments. And, many of the interesting things in syntax, such as apparent oblique subjects in Icelandic, are also extremely common in texts; then one wants to do experiments to find out more about what they really are. I think we need to make a distinction between Big Data (irrelevant for theoretical syntax, I'd agree) and Little Data, ie corpora of up to say 20 million words, which is highly relevant, because it is the primary data for acquisition.AveryAndrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701162517596420514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275657281509261156.post-44456861972876227682016-04-18T14:25:49.984-07:002016-04-18T14:25:49.984-07:00With regards to big data, I had separate cause tod...With regards to big data, I had separate cause today to look at Eldredge & Gould's paper on punctuated equilibria (a fun read), which in the opening gives a quote from Darwin that I'm now determined to trot out on occasion: "about thirty years ago there was much talk that geologists ought only to observe and not theorize; and I well remember someone saying that at this rate a man might as well go into a gravel-pit and count the pebbles and describe the colours. How odd it is that anyone should not see that all observation must be for or against some view if it is to be of any service."Callum Hacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12835021279108929371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275657281509261156.post-28668897977176360772016-04-18T10:02:19.270-07:002016-04-18T10:02:19.270-07:00update: this being a very impressive university, t...update: this being a very impressive university, they have automatic translation and the lectures are at this link http://ocw.cc.sophia.ac.jp.e.dc.hp.transer.com/140305linsticdavidadgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00821774928618824698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5275657281509261156.post-66025594663656419452016-04-18T09:59:46.503-07:002016-04-18T09:59:46.503-07:00apparently the lectures are recorded somewhere at ...apparently the lectures are recorded somewhere at this link, but my Japanese is non existent, so I have no idea where! http://ocw.cc.sophia.ac.jp/davidadgerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00821774928618824698noreply@blogger.com